Eat
Dec. 12: Fire & Ice Cookie Crawl
Downtown Towson. 408 York Rd. 6-9 p.m. Free admission.
Kick off the weekend with sparkle and sweets in Towson. As you stroll around the downtown stretch of York Road (surrounding the traffic circle and down to East Chesapeake), be on the lookout for dazzling light displays, illuminated ice sculptures, and s’mores stations set up by the Towson Chamber of Commerce. As you take in the sights, pop in to participating restaurants and retailers—who will be waiting with complimentary cookies and treats.
See also: Breakfast with Santa at Baltimore Peninsula, Dinner with Santa at Richardson Farms
DRINK
Dec. 12: Sade and Champagne
Fadensonnen. 3 W. 23rd St. 8 p.m.-12 a.m. Free admission.
We can’t think of a better way to unwind from a busy winter workweek than with a glass of bubbly and the smooth, soulful, sophisticated sounds of Sade. (If you think you aren’t familiar with the UK band’s ’80s and ’90s classics—fueled by Sade Adu’s powerful vocals—yes you are. See: “Smooth Operator,” “Is It a Crime,” and “No Ordinary Love.”) Head to Fadensonnen in Old Goucher on Friday night to forget about your woes with an all-night Sade soundtrack spun by DJ King Cole. Sip Champagne (or order from the expansive natural wine menu), get up and dance with host Charisse Nichols, and enjoy the laid-back vibes.
SEE
Dec. 14: Chanukah on Ice
Color Burst Park. 6000 Merriweather Dr. Columbia. 4:15-5:45. Free registration.
The eight-day Festival of Lights begins Sunday at sundown, and local Jewish organizations are hosting plenty of gatherings—everywhere from the Inner Harbor to The Avenue at White Marsh (see below)—to celebrate. At Columbia’s Color Burst Park, join Chabad Lubavitch Center for Jewish Life (an inclusive synagogue in Howard County) for ice skating, sufganiyot (traditional jelly donuts fried in oil), live music, a fire show, and, of course, a ceremonial lighting of the Merriweather District’s giant menorah. Speaking of menorahs, while you’re there, be sure to check out the one that the synagogue is making entirely out of canned food items, which will be donated to a local food bank after the event.
See also: Inner Harbor Menorah Lighting, Chanukah at The Avenue in White Marsh, Chanukah Festival and Menorah Lighting at Owings Mills Metro Centre
HEAR
Dec. 14: The 52nd Annual Mayor’s Christmas Parade
Hampden and Medfield. 1-4 p.m. Free.
One of the city’s most beloved holiday traditions, this annual procession boasts colorful floats, local politicians and personalities (everyone from the mayor to Mr. Boh), and flamingos and Hons galore. Post up anywhere along the 1.5-mile parade route (it marches from Falls Road, down 36th, and concludes on Chestnut Avenue) to spot returning favorites and a few new attractions. Regulars will recognize marching bands and dance teams from schools all over town, plus the fan-favorite, steam-powered calliope. New this year, listen up for live funk and soul brought by the city’s own Landis Expandis. We hear Mr. Trash Wheel and AVAM’s fluffy Fifi kinetic sculpture are set to attend for the first time, too.
See also: Music Under the Dome: Pink Floyd
DO
Dec. 12-14: Holiday Markets and Craft Fairs
Times, locations, and prices vary.
‘Tis the season (or should we say, ’tis the weekend) for holiday markets and craft fairs. If you still have people left on your list, and you’re stumped on what to get them this year, we can guarantee you’ll find inspo at events like Charm City Craft Mafia’s Holiday Heap, the Station North Holiday Market, the Greater Goods 10th Anniversary Holiday Market, or the Ottobar Makers’ Holiday Night Market—all happening this weekend and offering unique gifts from a wide array of local vendors. If you want to make a day of it and create your own market crawl, here are a few others to hit, as well:
- 23rd Street Holiday Market, Remington to Old Goucher
- Union Collective Holiday Bizarre, Hampden
- Baltimore County Arts Guild Holiday Market, Catonsville
- Pints & Panic Holiday Vendor Market at Heavy Seas Beer, Halethorpe
See also: Baltimore Streetcar Museum Tweed Ride
If you’re looking for even more lights, shops, and activities—from festive pop-up bars to holiday express train rides—check our our all-out Winter Holiday Fun Guide, here.